EADS INNOVATION WORKS and ASTRIUM – in partnership with the French ONERA national aerospace research laboratory – have launched a feasibility and systems study sponsored by the French Agency Direction Générale de l'Aviation Civile (DGAC) for a future commercial high-speed transport system that could fly long-haul routes – typically Tokyo-Los Angeles or Tokyo-London – in less than 2 hr. 30 min., while having minimal environmental impact and being operated as a standard aircraft.
Called ZEHST, this high-speed transport concept definition uses know-how from ASTRIUM’s sub-orbital Spaceplane, and is one of the projects incorporated in EADS INNOVATION WORKS’ eCO2avia activities – which also include such efforts as demonstrating the feasibility of biofuels and electric power for aviation use.
Reducing travel time for passengers has been – and will continue to be – a key driver in development of the world’s air transportation system. Not only will long-haul airliners of tomorrow have to be fast, they also will need to meet the air transport industry’s ambitious environmental goals – including those spelled out in the European Commission’s roadmap, “Flightpath 2050 – Europe’s Vision for Aviation.”
This European Commission report sets targets for a reduction of aircraft CO2 emissions by 75%, along with decreases of NOx emissions by 90% and noise levels by 65% – all compared to 2000 levels.
The initial concept represents a propulsion system architecture which is driven by flight safety considerations and by the requirements to minimize exhaust gas and noise emissions,in particular the mitigation of the sonic boom.
Three types of engines are operated in sequence for the various phases of a long-range flight at hypersonic cruise speed. Mastering the flight profile’s ascent and descent phases will benefit from the know-how derived from research conducted for ASTRIUM’s Spaceplane over the past five years.
Spaceplane Concept
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